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Month: January 2016

There is no coming to consciousness without pain. People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own soul. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious. –C.G. Jung

For months now I’ve been longing to try out the latest adult colouring trend. The books can be pricy, so I’ve resisted buying one. Until today. I found a beautiful book packaged with a box of colouring pencils. 🙂

It was worth it. For the past two hours I’ve been colouring the delicate patterns and I found it to be very calming.

At first, my colouring movements were fast and deliberate and I felt anxious. I was even irritable. But after a while I slowed down and became absorbed in the process. I could feel anxiety leave my body.

Emma Farrarons, the French illustrator and graphic designer who compiled The Mindfulness Colouring Book, says this in the introduction:

“…Taking a moment to pause and be mindful can dramatically improve our well-being, making us feel calmer, less stressed and more at peace with our emotions.”

I struggle with depression and anxiety and the ritual of colouring helps me to clear my mind and feel centered again.

I always approach new year euphoria with caution. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good party as much as anyone else, but I believe that life can’t be viewed in such absolute terms. Life doesn’t magically change as the clock strikes twelve. The new year doesn’t make any promises -good or bad.

So, instead of setting unrealistic goals, I choose to celebrate the privilege of being alive – something denied to many.

And my wish for you, and myself, is this:

I hope this year is gentle to you. I hope that in your life there will be more happiness than sorrow. If everything doesn’t work out, I wish you more peace and less anxiety. I hope there are more answers than questions.

Live simply and don’t get trapped by routine and busyness. Be present and be open to adventure. Set your own course. Do all the things you’ve ever wanted to.

And if things go wrong – and the universe has a way of doing that every now and then – I hope that you will still think of life as beautiful.